Volvo’s class shines through our i y spec
Even the bad options are good. By Ben Pulman
Moments after ordering the S90, I started worrying whether I’d done the right thing. I had no qualms about the S90 per se, but I did start to question the combined effect of all the options I’d specified. There’s blue paint, plus R Design Pro spec, meaning big wheels, tinted rear windows, a more aggressive front bumper and the deletion of the chrome strips along the doors. Inside, sports seats trimmed in black leather, black headlining, and perforated black leather on the steering wheel, gearstick and key fob. In short, a BMW 520d M Sport wannabe with a dark and foreboding cabin.
Then I spent a bit of time in a Volvo XC60 with its lovely tan leather, and a few days in a new V60 which was white as alabaster. Both had gorgeous slabs of lightly coloured driftwood across their dashboards, too, hinting at some idyllic Scandinavian lakeside retreat with its own private jetty. All of which made me wonder why I’d tried to create a Germanic S90.
Mercifully the reality is different, as there’s none of the try-too-hard detailing of the BMW. Rather, it’s all nicely restrained and understated, with the metal trim and little touches like the white stitching atop the leather-trimmed dash brightening the cabin.
It helps that the central portrait touchscreen is set below the parapet, blocking out less light. When the digital screen ahead of the driver really tells you all you need to know, there’s no reason why another should be up in your eyeline.
It drives really well too. There’s no over-the-top bravado or excessive sportiness, rather a decent ride, a hint of heft from the steering and the sensation of wide front tyres with lots of grip, a responsive throttle pedal, and a pleasing little noise from the four-pot petrol. If only it consumed fuel like a 520d… @thebenpulman